Knitting machine



July 2, 1935. y w. l.. HOUSEMAN 2,006,893

KNIT'I'ING MACHINE Filed June 27, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet l W. L.. HOUSEMAN KNITTING MACHINE July 2, 1935.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1935 iwf/riss; n

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JuHy 2, 1935.

w. 1 HOUSEMAN 42,006,893

KNITTING MACHINE Y y Filed June 27, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 2, 1935 w. L. HoUsl-:MAN 2,006,893

KNITTING MACHINE f' Filed June 27, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 2, 1935 v' omiso STATESI PATENToFFIcE KNITTING MACHINE Wilbur L. Houseman, South Orange, N. 1. as-

signor to Standard-Trump Bros.V Machine Co., Laconia, N.H., a corporation of Delaware Application June. 27, 1933, Serial No. 677,804'

10 Claims. (Cl. (i6-135) This invention relates toaknitting machine and f a rotating cam machinel during shogging more particularly to a knitting machine ofthe movements. In hosiery thi's'unwrapped panelfhas rotaryy type in which patterns are produced. by generally been produced at the back of a. stock-4 the individualwrapping of needles.y ing where` 1t is least noticeable. Nevertheless;

The most satisfactory type of circular knitting it is objectionable particularly since its width is 5 machine for the production of elaborate products vgenerally substantial, depending directly upon the is the rotaryy cylinder type inasmuch as in this time required; for forward or backward sho-gf type of machine the primary manipulations inging, Whichever is the greater. volved are those of the needles which are acted 'The relatively elaborate connections required l0 upon byy relatively stationary elements. Thecon to produce shogging in the rotary cylinder type 1o trol. of these elements yis of course most readily O f machine increase the time required OI bOl/h effected when they are stationary since direct forward-and backwardshoggingmovements. The connections to them can be made from stationary unwrappedy panel is accordingly usually of a sube patterning mechanism. To producel individual stantially greater' width than that which would L5," needle wrapping in a machine of this character, be required in a rotaryl cam type of machine. 1,5'. it, is necessary that the wrap fin-gers cooperating It is the broad object of the present invention with the various needles should revolve. with to provide al machine of the rotary cylinder type themy being actuated by static-naryv elements' at in which shegging may be. effected without' invarious points to give them radialinward and terruptions in the wrapped design. Specically 2ooutward movements to effect wrapping. Wrapthislis carried out byy producing wrapping at two 20 ping on a rotary needle cylinder machine acpoints, the shoggingbeing effected at a time cordingly involves the rotation of the yarn supwhen?` none of the Wrap fingers is passing through plies for the wrap ngers. This can be readily the needle circleI even though all of the needles effected, however, and` makes the rotary needle may be wrapped.

25. cylinder type of machine more satisfactory It isa further objectv of the invention to pro,- 25. than the rotary cam cylinder type. To produce videfor the production of designs under the con1 more elaborate patterns than those which are trol. of a single-,patterning mechanism even possible by the association of a certainwrap nthough Wrapping takes place at spaced points. ger with any particular needle, shogging is re- The angle between'. the two Wrapy points is main- 30.' sorted to, involving the rotation of all of the wrap tained at a minimum notfonly to permit the com- 30, fingers relatively to the needles Whiley neverthemon. control of wrappingy at both points but also lessl causing them to partake of the general roto provide a maximum freedom for manipulatation of the needles. In the' rotary needle cylintions of the needles during rotationv other than der type of machine the shogging connections those directly concerned with wrapping.; The

3J. themselves must be fairly elaborate in order to angle between the-two wrap pointsais made small 35 produce the differential angular shogging moveby providingin-the combination a shogging means ments without interrupting the rotation of the which eectsy the shogging movements both for-4 parts. In one satisfactory form of arrangement wardand` backward: during minimum angular'ro-V an epicyclic gear train connects the wrap linger tation. ot the needle'cylinder. a

v Support-ing head and the needle cylinder in Such Other objects of the invention particularly re- 40 fashion that movements imparted to anl intermung to detail-i construction Wm be apparent mciate portion of the train will produce shogfrom the following description read in Comun@ g Y tion with the accompanying drawings in which:

.5 .estaentransmisor 1 a of requirements that shogging cannot .take place 'lnslvon and Wlth vanous parts removed while an arn-carr ing Wral n ers are ino- Y y y y p g p Fig. 2 1s a vertical radial section through one sitionrbetween adjacent needles. In other Words, Shoggng movements dare only Occur Whenthe slde of the needle cylinder showmgthe relation- 50 wrap fingers are either inside or outside the .ship bei-Ween theneedles and jacks andopera't" 50iv needle circle to prevent bending or breakage. lng mechanism the'efor- The result of this has generally been the necessity Fig 3 is an enlarged Vertical sectional View for avoidingv wrapping on a certain panel of neef Showing. the' Wrapping mechanism findv C0I1tr011 dies corresponding in angular extent to the anguling' devices therefor; z

I lar motion of they needle cylinder, or the cams N Fig..#risahorizontalsectionthrough the same; 55?

Figs. 5 and 6 are elevations of two types of wrap lingers used in the machine;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating the driving gearing for the wrap linger supporting head;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation showing parts associated with ratchets controlling th'e carrier for the intermediate driving gearing of the wrap finger head; and v Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic developed view illustrating the relationships of the various controlling cams.

The machine which is of the rotary needle type comprises an elongated cylinderZ mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and provided with longitudinally extending slots adapted to slidably receive needles 6 provided with butts 8 of different lengths as is usual in this type of machine. Also, sliding within the slots of the needle cylinder are intermediate jacks I8 provided with butts I2 and lower jacks I4 provided with removable butts I6 and formed aty their lower ends with cam engaging ledges I8. The needles and intermediate jacks are designed to slide vertically within the slots, the needles being held in the slots by the use of usual spring bands while the intermediate jacks are held therein by engagement with the cylindrical surfaces of certain cams, as will be hereafter pointed out. The lower jacks I4 are adapted to slide and also pivot-in vertical radial planes about points intermediate their upper and lower ends. To accomplish this, the lower jacks have their inner edges formed as shown in Fig. 2 providing a point I 9 about which they may pivot when acted upon by suitable cams in a manner which will be hereafter pointed out. These lower jacks are held in position by a single spring band which, howevenis not relied upon to maintain the jacks in any definite position although, as will be clear from the drawings, there will be a tendency forthe spring band to hold the jacks with their lower ends projecting outwardly.

The needle cylinder has secured thereto the usual gear 2|) which is driven through an idler by the driving gear 50 controlledby suitable mechanism of the usual type to provide both rotation and reciprocation. The gear 28 is mounted in the portion 22 of the frame. A

To provide a support for various elements' of the mechanism, there is provided a platform 24 which is supported from the lower portion 22 of the frame by suitable posts. Bracket 2E-support ed by the platform 24 carries a shaft 28 upon which the latch ring supporting bracket 30 is pivoted, this bracket carrying a latch ring-32. The supporting bracket has pivoted to its forward portion a hook 34 engageable with a pin 36 carried by an upstanding bracketf38 to maintain the latch ring in its lowered position. Manipulation of the hook 34- will release the hook from the pin 36 so that the latch ring may be raised in the usual manner, a suitable spring being provided to counterbalance its weight and adapted to hold it open. The usualcam ring 4|lcontaining the cams for controlling the sinkers is provided, the cam ring having the usual freedom for oscillatory movements limited by engagement of stops with the post 38. y

A bracket 42 pivoted on the shaft 28 is provided at its forwardend with a downwardly extending portion 44 provided with openings through which are adapted to project headed screws designed to thread into the latch ring supporting bracket 30. A spring 41 counterbalances the Weight of the bracket 42 so-that this bracket will tend to remain in the position illustrated in Fig. l except when held down by the screws. When secured by these screws to the latch ring support, the latch ring and the bracket 42 may be raised as a unit by freeing the hook 34 from the pin 36.

The shaft 48 which carries the gear 5|] projects upwardly and carries at its upper end a gear 52 meshing with a pinion 54, the shaft of which has a universal connection with one element 56 of a split shaft to which element the other element 58 is splined by the use of a key and slot connection. The upper element 58 has a universal connection with a shaft 59 carrying a gear 6U. The shaft 59 is journalled in a support 62 which is in turn journalled upon an annular portion of the bracket 42. The gear 60 meshes with a gear S4 which is attached to the wrap finger supporting assembly journalled in the bracket 42. This assembly includes a plate B6 provided with supporting pins upon which bobbins 'I may be mounted. Above these bobbins there is a plate G3 supported by an upwardly extending tube 61, the plate S8 being provided with tension members designed to tension the yarns from the bobbins 'I5 which pass upwardly and then downwardly through the tube 61 and then through the eyes of the wrap fingers. The wrap fingers illustrated at and 8| are carried by a head forming the lower portion of the assembly and consisting of a preferably single member providing cylinders 82 and 83 having aligned vertical slots therein, there being between these cylinders a groove 84 having a semi-circular radial cross section to receive semicircular projections 3G of wrap fingers and thereby provide a pivot for the same. The wrap ngers are held Within the slots 82 and 83 by means of a spring band 88.

` The lower ends of the wrap fingers are twisted in the usual fashion so that as a wrap linger moves outwardly through the needle circle it passes to one side of the needle with which it is to cooperate by reason of the cam action of the hook of the needle on its end; and then on its return passes to the other side of that needle again due to the camming action of the hook of the needle.

'I'he wrap fingers 80 and 8| differ from each other in that the former is provided with a lower butt 85 while the latter is provided with an upper butt 87. In a normal set-up of the machine wrap iingers B might be provided in half the circle while lingers 8| could be provided in the remaining portion of the wrap linger circle. Various fingers might be either omitted or merely unthreaded. There will, however, be required through at least a small portion of the wrap linger circle an arrangement permitting shogging without breakage of needles or fingers. This will be clearly indicated hereafter.

To rock the wrap fingers outwardly by engagement with their upper butts there are provided two cams and 92 pivoted on a post 94 and urged to an inactive position by springs 96 and 98. The active butt engaging ends of th-e'ziingers 98 and 92 are angularly spaced as illustrated, this spacing being determined as hereafter pointed out, by a consideration of the time required for the production of shogging movements and the extent of these movements.

To selectively move the ngers 9G and 92 into operative position there aie provided cams I 00 and |02 urged downwardly by springs |04 and |06 and individually controlled by levers |08 and H0 acted upon by motion transmittingle'vers -|'|2 whose positions are controlled by cams` ||4 on the main cam drum. During normal rotary knitting when allv of the needles maybe wrapped, both the. cams 90 and 92. are required rtosbein active position. One of them, however,..may. be rendered inactive when it is desired to produce a plain sole on a stocking and both'may be rendered inactive during reciprocation to avoid en? gagement with the wrap fingers. I f l To effect the return of .the lower ends of the wrap fingers inwardly of the needle circle after they are rocked outwardly by the cams 90 and'f92 there is provided ay cam member ||6 lprovided with active faces ||8 and |20 adapted to engage the wrap iingers below their pivots.,l Between the active portionsL ||8 and |20, the cam ||.6 is cut away as indicated at |22 so that it does not interfere.l with the outward movements of the lower ends of the wrap fingers under the action In Fig. 8 there is illustrated the vmost desirable means for producing'shogging movements of the carrier 62.. This mechanism is essentially that described and claimed in the application of Harold E. Houseman, Serial No. 668,924, led May 2;..l933,. to which` reference may be made for details ofconstruction and operation.. The extension |24 carries ratchet. platesV 46, |48 and |50. The teeth of the plates |46 and |50 are directed in one direction, namely vto the left, as viewed in Fig. 8,. while the teeth ofv the platey |48 are directed in the opposite direction..V A. stud |52 carried by an extension of the bracket. 42 provides a journal for three levers |454, |56 and |58, these levers being provided withV extensions carrying stop screws |59.y urged into contact with anV extension of the frame by individual ysprings |6-|L which urge the levers |54, |56 and|-58 counter clockwise in opposition to actuating mechanism of .the type illustrated inthe Harold E. Houseman application referred to above. At its upper end the first of these levers carries a stud |60 on which is journalled a pawl |62.the nose of which is urged towards the teeth of the. ratchet plate |46 by means of a spring |64 connected between the pawl and a post carried bythe lever |54. A. pin:` |68. carried by the pawl is arranged to engage a. cam |10 carried by a fixed bracket |12 so that the pawl is held out of contactwith theteeth when in its retracted position to which it is/urged by its spring |6|. As the lever |54 is moved clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 8. the pawl |62 will move to the right so that it willengage a tooth of the ratchet |46 as the 'pin |68 rides otf the cam |10. The cam |10 is provided primarilyy to normally hold the pawl |62 awayr'from the teeth to permit reverse movements of the carrier.

A rod |14 carried by the lever |54 is provided with a Spearhead adapted to engage a cam |16 carried by a detent |18 mounted on a fixed stud |80 and urged by a spring to bring its nose into engagementwith the teeth of the ratchet plate |48. A lateral extension ofthe arm |54-pivotally supports, a lever |11 which is urged by a strong spring IBI into engagement with a stop carried by the extension.l y The leverl |11is in horizontal alignment with a sloping lefthand surface of the-pawl |18. The arrangement of the parts is such that as the rod |-1-4 advances during forward movements of the pawl |62 the Spearhead engages the cam |16' to disengage the detent |118 from one of theteeth ofthe plateV |48 just priorto the engagement of the paw1t|62 with a tooth of plate |46. As the Spearhead moves further its point passes over an inward point of the cam 16 thereby releasing the .de-

tent 18 permitting it. to again move between the pawl |62 reaches its extreme forward position. The detent |18 is not only provided for the purpose of properly aligning the wrapv lingers with the needles but additionally to hold the carrier in position during reciprocation atiwhich time the weight |26 might be insuflicient to hold it suiiciently rigidly` to prevent objectionable vibration. The use ofthe detent |18 alsoserves to. reduce to a minimum the periodA of relative movement between the wrap finger carrying head and the needle cylinder, since the forward shogging movement of the head is arrested inthe forward movement so that alignment of ngers and needles immediately occurs and does: not need to await the settling back of a tooth upon a detent |86. or |88 after an overrun. Theangular spacing. of the two wrap points is thereby made a minimum with a resultant simplification' of construction and control.

Also journalled upon the post |80 are detents |86 and |88- of different lengths as will be evi'- dent from Fig. 8.. These detcnts are arranged to alternately engage teeth of the ratcheteplate .|50 which, aszillustrated, are double they length of teeth of the ratchet plates |46 and |48@ The detents hold the plate |50 in opposition to the eii'ort of the weight |26. The detents |86 and |88 are yieldingly held in operative engagement with the teeth by means of springs |92v reacting between them and a pin fixed on the machine frame. The lengths of the pawls 86 and |88 are such that as they are alternately tripped'the carrier may move backwardly in steps under the action of the weight through the angular spac ing of the teeth on plate |46.

Members |94 and |96 are carried by the upper ends of levers |56 and |58, respectively, and are designed to engage the pawls |86 and |88, respectively, to trip them out of engagement with theteeth o plate |50. The operation is such that the members |84 and |96 are alternately moved so that backward steps of proper angular amount are produced by the alternate freeing of the detents |86 and |88 from the teeth. The control of the levers |54, |56 and |59 by pattern mechanism is identical with that illustrated in the Harold E. Houseman application referred to above and need not be described for the purposes of the present invention.

The machine to which vthe present invention is applied is, except for the shoggingfeatures, similar to that illustrated in the application of Stanley R. Shelmire, Serial No. 623,057, filed July 18,y 1932. It includes, for example, means for manipulating a double sole yarn and also means for forming gusset toesr in stockings. Certain Voff-the The pawl is accordingly in posi-f y tion to engage the next tooth of plate |48 beforecams for e'ecting these operationsare indicated in Fig. 9 but need not be referred to in detail since they form no essential part of the present invention. The presence of these means, however, indicates the advantages of a rotary cylinder ymachine over a stationary cylinder machine inasmuch as the controls for effecting the various operations would be diiicult'to provide in the latter type of machine.

Referring specically to Fig. 9, there is illustrated therein, in a diagrammatic fashion to show the angular relationships of the various parts, those cams which act upon needles, wrap ngers and jacks. vThe usual stitch cam set is provided, as indicated, at 200, 202, 204 and 206. The needles in rotary knitting pass through the cams to the left as viewed in Fig. 9 rising over cam 204 during rotary knitting and being. drawn down to form stitches by the cam 206.

Located relatively to the stitch cam 204, as illustrated in the drawings, yis a guard cam 208 which acts upon the needles in conjunction with the wrapping. This cam comprises two rundown portions 2I0 and 2I4 and is cutaway at its intermediate lower side as indicated at 2I2 for reasons which will be obvious hereafter.

A ring of cams indicated at ZIB serve to act upon the upper jacks I0 being provided in a continuous ring primarily merely to hold the jacks in position within the grooves of the needle cylinder. The portion active on the jacks is indicated at 2 I8. These cams also have active upper surfaces to raise the needles after the drawing of stitches.

A cam 220 servesto raise the lower jacks to elevate the needles for wrapping. This cam includes a slope 222 serving to raise the shoulder I8 to the horizontal level indicated at 224. Beyond 224 a further rise 226 is provided. This is followed by a depression 228 and a second rise 230. An inwardly sloping portion 232 on the cam 220 serves to rock the lower ends of the jacks I4 inwardly following the wrapping operation and during the lowering of the jacks due to their engagement'by the upper jacks I0 which are forced downwardly by the cam portion 2I3.

A safety cam 234 is provided to prevent overrun of those jacks which are depressed by the cam 2I8. This cam serves to hold the jacks in position for later 'engagement by the cam 23B which is provided with a sloping upper surface 238 designed to engage the shoulders I8 and align Jacks so that the butts I6 thereon will cooperate properly with the various'ngers 242. Prior to engagement of the shoulders I 8 with the cam 236, all of the lower jacks I4 are rocked to force their upper ends inwardly by the action of a cam 240.

The ngers 242 which serve to provide selection for wrapping are controlled in the fashion indicated in the Shelmire application referred to above, namely, by a trick-wheel which is intermittently stepped about under control of a pattern chain. If a jack I4 is vrocked by a iinger 242 then its shoulder I8 will fail to engage the slope 222 of the cam 220 and consequently the corresponding needle will not be raised to receive wrap yarns but will eventually engage the rise of cam 204 and pass thereover taking the main yarn and being lowered to draw stitches by cam 206. On the other hand,V if a jack is not engaged by a finger 242, it will rise over cam 220 first occupying a level as determined by 224, at which level the corresponding wrapfinger may be rocked to carry a yarn outwardly, and then it'will rise to the level 226 'while the same wrap finger's moved inwardly. This action will occur if the wrap finger associated with the particular needle in question is provided with an upper butt 81 so as to be engaged by the cam 90. The needle will now be at such level that its butt will engage the cam surface 2I0 so that the needle will be lowered forcing the lower jack downwardly to bring its shoulder I8 into the depression 228. If the wrap finger associated with the needle was of the type then movement of the yarn outwardly will occur at a position corresponding to 228 while movement inwardly will occur when the needle is raised by the riding of the jack I4 upwardly at 230. After the jack passes the position 230 it is forced downwardly by the action of 2I8 on the butt I2 of the corresponding intermediate jack I0. At the same time the shoulder I8 is engaged by the cam face 232 and the lower end of the jack is rocked inwardly. The corresponding needle is depressed by the cam surface 2I4 and then passes through the knitting wave.

It will thus be seen that needles associated with fingers 8l will be wrapped by the action of cams and II8. On the other hand, needles associated with fingers 80 will be wrapped by the action of cams 92 and I 20. Assuming that a set of fingers 8l of an angular extent greater than that'between the active portions of cams S0 and 92 precede a set of iingers 80, the last of the set of ngers BI will have been returned by the cam II8 to a position within the needle circle for a substantial angular interval prior to the movement of the leading fingers 80 outwardly through the needle circle by the action of cam 92. During this interval there will be nowrap finger anywhere in the circle extending between pairs of'needles. shogging may accordingly be eiectedin this interval. On the other hand, all of the needles may be wrapped inasmuch as in spite of the interval during which no ngers are being moved, all of the ngers are at sometime moved to produce wrapping of needles.

In view of the fact that it is the needle cylinder which is definitely timed with respect to the other parts of the mechanism, and more particularly the shogging devices, the interval referred to above during which no ngers are located between pairs of needles must be somewhat greater than that corresponding to the angular movement of the needle cylinder during shogging. This is necessary because lthe boundary *between the two types of wrap fingers is displaced in accordance with the shogging. The interval must accordingly be equal to the interval required merely for the displacement of the wrap finger supporting head relative to the needle cylinder by the ratchet mechanism plus the maximum displacement which the wrap ngers may undergo relative to the needle cylinder from their central position.

A statement was heretofore made relative to the disposition of the wrap ngers 80 and 8I about the support. As will be seen from the above, it is not necessary that there should be of each type of finger. This arrangement would be used when it was considered desirable to avoid wrapping say through the high splice or the foot of the stocking while permitting wrapping to continue through the instep. In such case, during the formation of the high splice or foot either one of cams 90 or 92 would be rendered inactive. Of course, alternatively, wrapping may be controlled by the proper selection of needles for wrapping under the action of thel klingers 242. In other cases, however, .the disposition lof lingers 88 and 8| mayvary within wide limits. For example, one set of fingers :may be used ywhere it is desired to produce clocksfby local wrapping withoutwrapping entirely around the stocking. A l The general operation `of the machine with respect to the production of various parts of the' stocking need not be described in greater detail since it is fully brought out in connection with the present machine in the Shelmire application noted above. Y j

It will be clear that numerous variations may be ymade in details of the embodiment of the inventionwithout departing from the scope thereof. as deiined in the following claims. L 1 What I claim and desire tc protect byLetters Patent is: 1. Av knitting machine including a rrotating needle cylinder, needles carried by Athe cylinder, wrap fingers arranged to carry wrap yarns' about needles, a carrier for the fingers rotating with the needle cylinder, spaced means for actuating theV wrap fingers to cause them to carry yarns about needles at either of two spaced.points,'fone of said means 'al'.:tuating certain of s'ad fingers and theother of said meansactuating other fingers', and means for shogging thecarrier relatively to the needle-cylinder in a plurality'of steps" in each directionV corresponding to the angular spacing of adjacent needles during a time whenl no wrap ngers are beingactuated Aat either position, said shogging means including means for positively arresting shogging movements `in both directions whereby the spacing of the two wrap points is reduced to a minimum.

2. A knitting machine including `a rotating needle cylinder, needles carried by the cylinder, wrap fingers arranged to carry wrap yarns about needles, a carrier for the fingers rotating with the needle cylinder, spacedmeans for actuating the wrap fingers to cause them to carry yarns about needles at either* of two spaced points, one of said means actuating lcertain of f said fingers and the other of said means actuating other fingers, said means including levers having active portions arranged to engage the wrap ngers at the two points7 and means for shogging the carrier relatively to the needle cylinder in a plurality of steps in each direction corre-` sponding to the angular spacing of adjacent needles during a time when no wrap lingers are being actuated at either position, said shogging means including means for positively arresting shogging movements in both directions whereby the spacing of the two wrap points is reduced to a minimum although. wrapping of all the needles may be effected.

3. A knitting machine including a rotary needle cylinder, needles carried by the cylinder, wrap fingers arranged to carry wrap yarns about needles, a carrier for the fingers rotating with the needle cylinder, spaced means for actuating the wrap fingers to cause them to carry yarns about needles at either of two spaced points, one of said means actuating certain 0f said fingers and the other of said means actuating other fingers, means for supporting both the wrap finger carrier and said means whereby they are movable away from the needle cylinder, controlling means for the wrap finger actuating means automatically becoming effective to control the actuating means when the wrap finger carrier and actuating means are brought into active positions, and means for shogging the carrier :relatively .-to the needle cylinder in steps corresponding to the angularspacingof adjacent needles vduring a time when no wrap fingers are being'actuated'at eitherlposition.

4. A knitting machine including arotary needle cylinder,l needles-carried v'by the cylindergwrap* flngersiarranged tozcarry wrap yarns about needles, a carrier 'for tiie fingers rotating with the needle cylinder, spaced *means foractuating the Wrap fingers Ato cause-them to carry yarns about needles ateith'erof two spaced points, one 'ofi fsaid comingV eiec'tiveto vcontrol the actuating means whenthe wrap fingerfc'arrier and actuating-means are 'brought into activefpositions, and' meansior shogging the carrierrelatively tothe needle acyl; inder ina pluralityoi'I steps in A'each direction corresponding tothe "angul'afspacing of adjacentV n needles during a time when no wrap fingers vvareA being actuated at either positinfsaid shogging meansV includingv 'means' for V'positively arrhe'astingr shogging movements in both directions whereby the spacing of the-'two wrap 'points is reduced' 'to a minimum although'wrappig of all the` needles maybe effected,` `-"j f 7 5. A knitting machinefincluding'a rotary needle cylinder, 'needlesfcarried'by'the cylinder, wrap fingers arranged iso-carry Ywrap yarns about needles, a carrier for the 'ngersrotating with the needle cylinder, spacedfmeans for Vactuating the wrap fingers `tocause them to carry yarnsfa'bout`r needlesfat either of ltw'os'paced points, one'of said means actuating/*certain 'of saidy lingers and thel other ofsaid'means'actuating other lingers, said means' including levers pivoted on acommon axis and-ihaving active portions arranged to engage the wrapiingerstfthetwo points, means for supporting both the wrap finger carrier and Said means whereby they are movable away from the needle cylinder, controllingy means for the wrap finger actuating means automatically becoming effective to control the actuating means when the wrap finger carrier and actuating means are brought into active positions, and means for shogging the carrier relatively to the needle cylinder in a plurality of steps in each direction corresponding to the angular spacing of adjacent needles during a time when no wrap lingers are being actuated at either position, said shogging means including means for positively arresting shogging movements in both directions whereby the spacing of the two wrap points is reduced to a minimum although wrapping of all the needles may be effected.

6. A knitting machine including a rotating needle cylinder, needles carried by the cylinder, wrap fingers arranged to carry yarns about needles, a carrier for the fingers rotatingl with the needle cylinder, means for selectively actuating the wrap fingers to cause them to carry yarns about needles at either of two spaced points, means for selectively raising at a single point preceding both of said spaced points all of those needles which are to be wrapped in the formation of any course, whereby following the raising of needles selective wrapping thereof is determined solely'by selective control of the wrap fingers and means for shogging the carrier relatively to the needle cylinder in steps corresponding to the angular spacing of adjacent needles during a time wrapping is taking place.

17. A knitting machine including 'aV rotating needle cylinder, needles carried by the cylinder, wrap fingers arranged to carry yarns about needles, said wrap fingers being arranged to contact with the needles to effect wrapping by passing outwardly through the needle circle at one side of the needles to be wrapped and inwardly at the ,other side thereof, a carrier for the fingers rotating with the needle cylinder, means for selectively actuating the wrap fingers to cause them to carry yarns about needles at either of two spaced points, means for selectively raising at a single Vpoint preceding both of said spaced points all'` 'of those needles which are to be wrapped in the formation of any course, whereby following the raising of needles selective wrapping thereof isdeterminedsolely by selective control of the wrap fingers and means for shogging the carrier relatively to the needle cylinder in steps corre'- when no sponding to the angular spacing of adjacent needles during a time when no wrapping is taking place.

8. A knitting machine including a rotating needlecylinder, needles carried by. the cylinder,-

Wrap fingers arrangedto carry wrap yarns about needles, a carrier for the fingers rotating with the needle cylinder, means Vfor actuating the :wrap fingers to effect Wrapping vof needles at spaced points, certain of the needles being wrapped atvone'of such points and other needles being Wrapped at the other of such points, and means for shogging the carrier relatively to the needle cylinderl in a plurality ofsteps in veach direction corresponding to the angular spacing of adjacent needles during a time when no wrapping is taking place, said shogging means including means for positively arresting shogging movements in both directions, whereby the spacing ofthe two Wrap points is reduced to a minimum although wrapping of all the needles may be effected.

9. A knitting machine including a rotating needle cylinder, needles carried by the cylinder, wrap fingers arranged to feed wrap yarns to needles, a carrier for the ngers rotating with the needle cylinder, means for selecting needles to be Wrapped from others not to be Wrapped at one point, means for actuating the wrap fingers to cause them to present wrap yarns to needles selected to be Wrapped at either of two spaced points following said point, one of said means actuating certain of said fingers and the other of said means actuating other fingers, and means for shogging the carrier relatively tothe needle cylinder in a plurality of steps in each direction corresponding to the angular spacing of adjacent needles during a time when no wrapping is taking place, the angular spacing of said wrap finger actuating means being greater than the angle through which the needle cylinder moves during shogging.

10. A knitting machine including a rotating needle cylinder, needles carried by the cylinder, wrap fingers arranged to feed wrap yarns to needles, a carrier for the fingers rotating with the needle cylinder, means for selecting needles to be wrapped from others not to be wrapped at one point, means for actuating the wrap fingers to cause them to present wrap yarns to needles selected to be wrapped at either of two spaced points following said point, one of said means actuating certain of said fingers and the other of said means actuating other fingers, and means for shogging the carrier relatively to the needle cylinder in a plurality of steps in each direction corresponding to the angular spacing of adjacent needles during a time when no wrapping is taking place, said shogging me-ans including means for positively arresting shogging movements in both directions, whereby the spacing of the two wrap points is reduced to a minimum although wrapping of all of the needles may be effected.

WILBUR L. HOUSEMAN. 

